


What Beholds Inside of a Myriad

by THEwaspsNEST



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Drinking, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Major Character Injury, Multi, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Violence, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:09:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28247433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/THEwaspsNEST/pseuds/THEwaspsNEST
Summary: What happens in the Attack on Titan world in the passing four years? New cadets, leaders and family have to fight to survive together against the Titans. They grow to learn more about these monsters, but what if there were other enemies working with the Titans? People they trusted.Foes attempt to cast away Lux and Irina’s flourishing friendship, and relationships. Wildly different backgrounds merge together to form stronger bonds than ever before. Becoming each other’s other half, twin flames you might say.But things take a turn when he reveals his secret, a secret that breaks the Survey Corps from within.
Relationships: Armin Arlert & Eren Yeager, Armin Arlert & Hange Zoë, Armin Arlert & Jean Kirstein, Connie Springer & Eren Yeager, Floch & Jean Kirstein, Jean Kirstein & Connie Springer, Jean Kirstein & Eren Yeager, Jean Kirstein/Original Female Character(s), Levi & Eren Yeager, Levi & Erwin Smith, Levi & Hange Zoë, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s), Marco Bott & Jean Kirstein, Mikasa Ackerman & Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman & Armin Arlert & Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman & Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman & Jean Kirstein, Sasha Blouse & Connie Springer, Sasha Blouse & Eren Yeager, Sasha Blouse & Jean Kirstein
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter one, The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer!! We do not own the Attack on Titan characters. This fanfiction is an AU set in the Attack on Titan world, and has been written by two authors, where we have incorporated many of our own OC’s. The idea of the two main characters follows as; the reader can choose who they feel they identify with the most. 
> 
> Further disclaimer: This fanfic is set in the four year time skip that he plays our after season three of Attack on Titan anime. So elements will not be true to the manga or the anime for the upcoming events throughout this story, and will of course contain spoilers for seasons one to three of the anime.
> 
> Trigger Warnings. Please read these and bear them in mind. 
> 
> This story will contain the use alcohol, drugging, blood, abuse, death, depression, anxiety, PTSD, self harm, sexual harassment, sexual assault, violence, torture, weapons (such as knives, guns ect), swearing and will be labelled as a 17+, reader discretion is advised. We will include the appropriate trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter. (There’s still a lot of cute soft stuff too, we promise it’s not all bad!!)
> 
> We are extremely proud of our work, so please refrain from negative comments. If you dislike this story, discontinue reading. 
> 
> Enjoy!! <3 - THEwaspsNEST

_Placing second in the 103rd trainee class, just behind her older brother, was Irina Kraynor. In her time where she was trained to slaughter the monsters that have plagued humanity for so many years, friendships with other trainee classes, namely the 104th, blossomed as their time together overlapped. After graduation, the siblings successfully joined the Survey Corps, although were placed in two separate squads. Their high class placements doing more good spread further over the regiment._

_While off duty and visiting her parents in her home district of Trost, the colossal titan appeared. Peering over the wall with its hideous taut muscle stretching over its face accompanied by an emotionless stare. Obliterating an eight meter hole within the wall, Irina sprang into action. Her military training aided her calm demeanor under immediate pressure, as she guided those in her nearby vicinity to what would be used as an evacuation site. Racing to the nearest barrack, she kitted up and joined the effort to protect the district from the titans practically spilling into the city._

_Fighting hard in the battle, she joined the 104th trainees with a smile on her face despite the situation at hand, overjoyed to see her friends once again. Met by the mysterious titan, later to be recognised as Eren Jaeger, her and Armin Arlert’s interest in titan behaviour peaked the interest of General Dot Pyxis, who later recommended her ingenius to Hanji Zoe, who she would later come to know as Hange. Their mutual morbid fascination with titans excelled their eccentric friendship, the two of them kept in check by Captain Levi Ackerman, who seemed to be the only one indifferent to their unconventional interest._

_After the events with the Female Titan and the heart crushing loss of the Special Operations Squad, Irina was officially transferred to the new Levi squad along with her companions from the 104th. Her friendship with Levi, Hange and her younger familiars, along with her high class placement was the perfect match as the squad worked flawlessly together, while allowing her to continue her preternatural work with Hange._

_Now, on the survey corps’ most important mission yet, recovering what was lost in the basement of Eren Jaeger’s house in the Shiganshina district. Levi's squad encounters a lone wolf wanderer deep in titan country escaping a life she did not want to be a part of, whose similarities and tragic circumstances make way for an unwavering friendship. However while their friendship flowers, a new class of trainees unleashes an evil greater than their titan troubles._

* * *

Levi decided it would be safer to go through the forest near Shiganshina so they could escape to the trees if a titan was to appear. But something was off about this forest. The squad planned to wait for Jean to get back, having been sent to get Hange and Commander Erwin to meet and fight together if needed. The more soldiers present the better, especially those in command.

“Awh, Levi, how nice of you to wait for us!” hange shouted, elated, as they returned with Jean along with the commander.

“Tch” was all he said in response, indifferent to her excitement, carrying on through the unclear mist.

In the forest, the sky vanished almost completely. Only a few fragments of blue remained, sitting like scattered pieces of an impossible jigsaw between the branches overhead. The air was rich with the fragrance of leaves and loam, damp too. 

Moving forward Irina came to a halt, her steel eyes peered up to the sky, focused. She swore she heard something whizz by, a familiar sound but she wasn’t able to place it within the surrounding nature. Hange snapped her out of her thoughts, urging her to move forward, they had no time to waste. 

The swishing and swooshing condition and then was heard by everyone. Heads tilted up towards the sky, eyes moving with the sound, following its irregular pattern between the trees. Heads turning every second as their eyes caught mere glimpses of what this figure was.

“That can't be ODM gear, right?” Sasha queried, and while the group became distracted with her question, the figure saw an opportunity, and tackled one of their comrades right off his horse.

Levi was pounded to the ground, his chest slammed onto the muddy floor, but, with his intuitive reflexes he managed to flip over and press the figure’s arms beside their head. Staring at them, he couldn't make out their features, cloaked by a hood and a cloth acting as a mask that covered the lower half of their face. 

Standing behind him, the squad peered over his shoulder, trying to see what the commotion was and get a glimpse of the intruder. Erwin stood tall over Levi, to take a look.

“Who are you and how did you get this ODM gear? You seem to be quite skillful with it.” Levi demanded, a flashback racing across his mind in a split second, from when Erwin captured him in the underground.

Once Levi let them go, Irina and her older brother, Ciaran, took their captives' arms and steadied them to their feet. Erwin yanked the mask from their mouth and Irina did the same to her hood. Their behaviour was harsh, suspicious of this randomer wandering the freelands. The squads first thought? Titan shifter. They didn’t plan to be kind after the recent events with Annie Leonhart, Reiner Braun and Berthold Hoover and Eren’s kidnapping. Not to mention Rod Reiss and that whole debacle with the MP’s. _They couldn’t trust outsiders anymore._

The pair's rough actions unveiled a young girl's blonde curls, bouncing back into place after having her hood removed. Her thin eyebrows of a different shade, unusually complemented a scar that ran through her left eyebrow and down her eye, stopping to the midpoint of her cheek. She tried to hide her lesion by twisting her head so nothing could be seen. 

“Can he get an answer?” Ciaran questioned, gravelly voice reverberating in her ears. His height was intimidating to the girl he held, and she struggled to break away, only causing his grip to tighten.

She begged as if her life was on the line, “If you go any further they’ll kill you,” the squad glanced at each other, confused at her words. Was she talking about the titans?

“The survivors of Shiganshina are still here... but they’ve changed....” 

Hange became exhilarated at the thought of examining survivors from Shiganshina. How had they survived? What did they live on? Where did they even live? So many questions raced through her mind, with only one possible answer.

“They’ve changed into titans?! Ughh how exciting, there’s more of them out there! Erwin let's go, let go!” She tugged at the blue eyed man whose gaze never left their detainee.

“NO! They’ve resorted to some sort of absurd religion, they do ‘magic’. They’ve gone crazy!” The girl before them, replied in disaccord.

“Then how do we know you're not one of them?” Levi responded, his stare as cold as ever. 

While Irina committed to silence, her brows furrowed ever so slightly, concerned about this girl’s wellbeing. The squad was not making it easy on her, their stares bearing down on her. Especially Levi’s, who’s disapproving stare you did not want to be under in any circumstance, by god did Irina know that. Although she didn’t make any effort to shoot him a chiding look, knowing they could not immediately trust this girl, she did glance at him with a tolerant stare. She knew he saw her expression, while he didnt break his gaze from the blonde, there was a microscopic change in his body language and his flexed jaw relaxed a miniscule amount. 

Irina and Levi’s relationship grew as Hange had introduced the two of them several months beforehand. Her benign self and lack of fear towards him intrigued his mind. Most soldiers who had to speak to him were almost always quaking in fear, due to his uncharitable reputation, but not her. She made every effort to get him to smile, and on occasion it worked, but he never let anyone else see. 

Hange would never let him hear the end of it. The three of them worked closely, or rather he was forced to work with them. While Hange and Irina acted insane in their research, the two would badger him until they managed to get him to listen to their hysterical rants about their latest discovery. He enjoyed it though, listening to them talk about what they loved, even if it was about titans. And often when the pair of them had a simultaneous epiphany while explaining their research, resulting in indecipherable squealing, a small smile would grow on his face. 

“I've got the scar to prove it!” The girl shrugged off the arms holding her steady, managing to break free of Ciaran’s grip. “Don't say I didn't warn you!” She bowed, extending her arm to allow them passage forward.

The squad, curious as cats, moved forward a few paces. Eyes glued to the dark abyss beyond the trees, searching for someone, something and anything in front of them. 

The group mumbling amongst themselves and Erwin pulled Levi aside and from the looks of it they were in an intense discussion. Irina nudged her older brother, tilting her head towards the two older men standing by the base of a tree. “What’d’ you suppose they’re talking about?”

Her nudge catching his attention, he looked over in their direction, catching Levi’s gaze, making him immediately look away and towards his sister. He didn’t share the same fearlessness as her when it came to the Captain. Shifting his gaze to the blonde, now back in Ciaran’s grasp, “Probably about this one.”

Irina’s attention turned away from Erwin and Levi and towards the girl stood beside her. Seeing that the girl had her eyes trained to the ground, hiding her face from her captors, she felt a pang of guilt. She knew she couldn’t trust this girl yet for some reason she felt the instinct to. 

As her brother became distracted in a meaningless conversation with Armin and Connie, something or other about food. Taking this opportunity from her absent-minded brother, who was now fishing into his pocket to see if he had anything he could offer to calm the beast that seemed to live in Connie's stomach, Irina took this opportunity to learn more about this girl. 

Gently lifting her hood over her head once more knowing she would feel more comfortable, Irina smiled warmly at the girl, who raised her head in surprise. “Can you tell me your name?” Speaking softly, only to her as if no one was around them, her kind eyes invited the girl to feel welcomed by her. Looking at the girl now, Irinia noticed the girl seemed to be a similar age to her own, perhaps a year or two older.

Silence for a moment. The gears visibly turned in the girl's head before she answered in a reserved tone, “Lux.”

Before Irina could respond, Erwin approached the two of them, Ciaran standing to alert as the commander approached. “Escort us to your village.” 

Irina moved her gaze from the thick eyebrowed man to Lux, their determined expressions mirroring the other. “Ex-village.” Lux corrected.

  



	2. Chapter two, Let me join you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Mentions of alcohol, Mentions of sexual harassment, Violence, Injury and Swearing.

The squad had been traveling for about an hour, their horses trodding through the forest at a steady pace. Although they were on edge, titans could jump out and snatch them at any moment. Ciaran’s horse had been tied to Irina’s as he walked on foot with Lux a few paces in front of the group. Her hands were bound behind her back, but Ciaran had made sure they weren’t painful for her, sharing the same sympathy for this girl as his sister although was not as outspoken. The siblings were, in truth, more alike than they realised. Often jinxing each other as they said the same thing, or bumping into each other as they moved to do the same thing, ending up in a childish scuffle. Amongst other trivial sibling fights, their only rivalry was their love for one another. While they didn’t say it often, between their skirmishes it was clear as day. However on their journey, Lux and Ciaran looked more like squabbling siblings. Their hair was strikingly similar, as if they had both been born from the same yellow rose.

The soft ground beneath them squelched with each step. Enhancing the sounds created by the rain the night before as their horses sunk into the dirt. Almost glueing them in place, with the slight surprise of a twig buried in the sludge snapping every so often. Their sight was limited, searching for whoever or whatever nearby became futile. All they could see was the darkness between the trees on their side of them, the moonlight above being of no help. Lux led in front, her head tilted down and she chuckled, noticing the others were apprehensive of their environment. “Keep heading straight and you will reach your desired destination.” Lux remarked, ridiculing the squad.

Materialising before their eyes, the glow of torches in the distance, emerging from the murk between the thick tree trunks. Ciaran’s hold tightened around Lux’s wrist, using her as a physical anchor in the unknown as they moved forward. Carrying on through the gaps between the trees more came into view. Rustic cabins dotted the grassy hills that rolled up on either side of them as they emerged in a valley, the trees still towering above them. Green moss covered most of the path that ran beside makeshift houses and spiked fences. A narrow river ran through the presumed village, and coursed down the deepening hollow beside the intruding scouts. Erwin let out a deep exhale that calmed his emotions, for two reasons. One, there were people that survived here after the fall of Shiganshina and while he was relieved he could bring them back to safety, he questioned how exactly they survived this long. And two, Lux told the truth, meaning he could begin to trust her for the most part.

They were foreigners amongst their own people. The people in this village hadn’t seen anyone but each other for years, there was a clear separation between the villagers them, and they weren’t sure if they were exactly welcome here. In front of Erwin stood an odd-looking man, his stomach bursting out of his shirt and abnormally widened eyes greeted them. The whites of his eyes were red, looking as if blood would spill from them at any moment. “We have visitors, how exciting..” he clasped his hands together, the enthusiastic gesture failed to meet his tone as he looked at every member of the group before him, taking a moment to study each of their faces.

A sinking feeling grew in Irina’s gut. She believed Lux when she said they went crazy but she didn't expect this. They appeared inhuman, hardly recognizable as their own. The squad had become distracted with other villagers, slow moving but swarmed around their horses with smiles on their faces. They dismounted their horses and began to speak with them but their shoulders remained tense, creeped out by similar sinking feelings. Irina's eyes drifted to her brother who stood with Lux, where a few blood eyed men were shuffling to get closer to them. “Ahh I see you found the outcast, we’ll get her off your hands!" the enthusiasm in his voice lacked as the lanky man of the group spoke, reaching for Lux’s throat.

Lux fell to the floor and shuffled away from the man, if her hands weren’t bound Irina was sure she would have easily sent a sucker-punch to his nose, but she was helpless. The lanky man, who looked to be in his sixties towered over the defenseless girl and began to become rough with her. Ciaran tried to deescalate the unfolding situation, only to be drowned out by the unintelligible screaming, now drawing the attention of the squad members. He roared at her, perhaps in a different language Irina thought, Lux’s words almost sounding like a spell as she yelled back at him. The foul predator went for her neck once again and lifted her into the air, her legs kicking out beneath her.

Irina flared up in rage as she dismounted her horse. “You can’t be fucking serious!” She wasted no time in sending a punch to the man’s jaw, gaining the desired result as he instantly let go of the girl he held in the air. Joining the absurd yelling, Irina’s face began to go red from lack of oxygen as a constant slew of insults left her mouth. Ciaran helped Lux to her feet and moved her away from the sickly man, questioning if she had been hurt but became distracted as Irina stepped forwards. She fully intended to attack this man, however strong arms wrapped around her torso, holding her arms to her sides. She kicked forwards still trying to reach her target who stood cradling his face, bewildered by her outburst. Struggling to break free of her brother’s hold on her, she continued to scream profanities at the man.

Levi’s voice beside her brought her mind momentarily away from her vexation but she continued to glare at the man, nostrils flaring. She gave another attempt to escape her brother in vain, before turning her head. Met by the unamused stare Levi gave, she saw right past his front and knew he was apprehensive to find out what the lanky man had done that caused her to react like this. He was a gossip at heart.

“In all my life I have never been treated this way!” The lanky man spoke up, the sound of his aghast voice sending Irina into another struggle to get at the man, to which Ciaran turned and carried her in the opposite direction.  
“You’ve never been treated the way you treat other people?! I’d be happy to show you what it’s like!” She clamoured back at him over her shoulder.  
Levi raised his palm towards the man, “Excuse us, Sir.”

Once she had been brought away from the gathering crowd of spectators, eager to see the drama unfolding, she broke free of her brother’s arms. Her frustration manifested as she picked up a rock and threw it at a nearby tree, leaving a dent in the bark. Feeling as if she could turn around and run back towards the man and pummel him, she took a moment to breathe, looking into the dark abyss of the forest before turning around to the concerned expressions of Levi and Ciaran.

She took for a moment, waiting for disapproval, but when none came she gestured in the direction of the scuffle. “He picked her up by her throat like she was nothing more than a dog! You really expect me to do nothing about it?”  
“No, but you can go too far Irina,” Ciaran stepped forward, his brows creased in worry. “We don’t know these people, and I don’t think Erwin wants to be involved in a diplomatic incident.” As he spoke, he took her hand and checked over it. Often in cases where Irina fought, she wouldn’t notice injuries until well after the fact.

“He definitely deserved that punch,” Levi announced as he leaned against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked towards the villagers, now huddled in a small group shaking their heads as they discussed the event, presumably not pleased at the grapple. “But Ciaran’s right. We don’t know these people, and from the look of them Lux was right, they’re crazy.”

Seeing that the skin on her knuckles hadn’t broken, Ciaran let go of her hand and looked down to her, his eyes gentle. “I know you just want to help, but you know how easily your emotions take over,” He smiled tenderly, as his sister joined his phrase. “Just like mom.”

She sighed and nodded, gently shoving him before he called out the jinx curse. She did know how easily her vision turned red, it didn’t happen often, but when it did there was almost no stopping her. Of course she had learnt it from her mother, a remarkable woman who didn’t take an ounce of bullshit. This was one of the things that stuck with her since childhood, and even though she was only nineteen that life seemed so distant now.

Ciaran had seen her like that enough times as they grew up to know how to calm her down but Levi had only seen it once before, shortly after they were introduced.

_A few members of the squad had been off duty and heading to a bar, on their journey they had seen a man who was beyond intoxicated, and following a woman just in front of them. He shouted disgusting things at her, growing louder and louder the more the alcohol affected him. The group kept an eye on him, a few members of the public had shouted at him, telling him to go home and to leave the woman alone. He noticed Irina became more exasperated the more he spoke, before she finally snapped when the man put his filthy hands on the young woman. She had chastised the drunkard, and had to be pulled off of him by her brother and Mikasa. She later returned to the group after going on a walk with Ciaran to cool down and apologised to them for her outburst. Of course they weren’t bothered, the guy deserved it and they were too tipsy to care about her actions._

Levi thought about the night often, and he thought about it now. He was shocked at how her usual unfaltering happiness could be disrupted to that extent. He knew it didn’t happen often, but when it did, she could be scary as hell.

“Can we just leave? It’s so fucking weird here.” Irina wanted to remove herself from the situation completely, the growing unease in her stomach becoming too spirited to ignore. It hadn’t become overwhelming but it was persistent and became completely unnerving. Levi saw on her face how much she hated it, she wasn’t one to conceal her thoughts with her expressions. Levi agreed with her intuitive feeling, feeling slightly off about this place himself. “I’ll speak to Erwin.”

As he made his way to Erwin, scolding the teenagers telling them not to take anything offered to them by the villagers. He used the pretense that it was rude, but in reality he didn’t want anyone poisoned. Greeting Erwin who stood with Hange as they collected a sample of soil, the three discussed the situation they found themselves in. Ciaran and Irina had made their way back to the squad, now separated from the villagers who were still shaking their heads as they spoke to one another in hushed tones. Ciaran glanced between the two groups as they approached their comrades and chuckled seeing the lanky man shoot a glare at his sister, following his gaze to her.“You’re so childish.”

  
“Am not!” Irina grimaced, shoving her brother sending him a few paces away.

  
“Are too,” He grinned. “At least give me a little warning before you decide to involve yourself in a state brawl. Gotta be there to protect my baby sister!” He looped his arm around her neck and pulled her into his armpit and gave her a noogie.

Groaning she struggled to get out of his vice grip, waving her arms to try and land a punch. Finally she slipped out behind him and bounced up, slapping the back of his head. “I can look after myself Ciaran!”

“Well you’re still a kid in my eyes.” He beamed innocently and she rolled her eyes as they continued towards the squad. His cheerfulness suddenly grew more serious as his tone lowered an octave, “Why do you trust that Lux girl so much?” Irina glanced at him and thought about it for a moment before she answered.

“I don’t know.” They approached their friends, ending their conversation as they informed them of what exactly had happened. Irina’s unfavourable bias was shot down numerous times by her elder brother’s natural neutral stance. He was like that for everything, he always saw both sides and while it irritated Irina, she knew that was exactly what would make him an amazing leader one day.

Once the conversation became less interesting, Irina broke away from the group and made her way towards Lux. The girl stood near a thinner tree, kicking a rock around beside her feet in boredom.

  
“Are you alright?”

The question caused her to look up in surprise, even more so when repeated.

“Are you hurt?”

Irina’s concern splashed across her features, as she looked to the blonde. She didn’t want to touch the girl without permission from her, especially not after that ordeal. She raised her palms up, reaching slowly towards the girl, silently asking to check her neck for any damage. “My hands are a bit cold, doctors trademark I guess.” Smiling warmly to Lux, Irina waited for her to decide what she was allowed to do. After just a moment, Lux raised her head up and exposed her neck to Irina, surrendering to an examination. Irina stepped forwards and gently pressed around her neck, watching for a reaction in Lux’s face for any pain she might have felt. Watching and helping Hange work over recent months had given her a good idea of what to look out for. “He’s a real piece of shit,” stepping away from her once she had finished checking her neck, “But I’m glad you’re alright.” Irina beamed, concluding at Lux wasn’t injured.

  
“You’re a doctor?” The blonde narrowed her eyes and found that Irina looked to her own, never once paying particular attention to the scar splashed across her eye.

The examiner chuckled, “Well, not officially but who needs titles anyway.” Just as Lux was about to speak, Levi came up to the two of them, informing Irina it was time to go. Apparently the incident had already been resolved. As he turned to leave, the blonde spoke.

“Wait.”

Ciaran guided his little sister in front of him, her hands moments away from the girl’s bounds. Almost subconsciously, but he was wary of the girl Irina trusted. Admittedly, Lux didn’t know where the courage to speak came from and now that a crowd of peering strangers formed around her, nerves jittered across her body. She quickly thought of what to say next, careful of her words. Refusing to show her anxiety, her voice projected coming across as strong as she could make it. “I have a proposition, if you unbound me.”

Erwin nodded his head slightly, concluding she didn’t have anything hidden on her person after her weapons were confiscated from her earlier in the evening. Signaling that she could be freed from ‘custody’ he glanced toward Jean to do the honours. The boy walked forwards, eyes planted on her wrists that were now red and scratched up, despite Ciaran’s care. Pulling a small knife from his boot, Lux tensed a moment until she felt his feather light touch. He held her hands like they were made of glass and cut the rope, his finger brushing against her wrist gingerly as the rope fell. Looking at him, her eyes searched for an answer in the boy she didn't know the name of, wondering if this was a silent test of sorts.

A fluttering made itself known in her stomach, a strange feeling and she couldn’t exactly figure out why she felt it. She angled her head downwards as her hands fell in front of her, earning a soft huff from the boy who cut her loose. “Not even a thank you?” Her eyes lifted, just enough to see his growing smirk. Brows furrowing, she rolled her wrists in circles, following the honey-eyes of the boy as he assumed his previous position, resting against a tree. Before dropping her eyes once more, appearing relaxed to the group before her as if she had known them forever.

“You're going somewhere. You’re searching for something, what is it?” Lux turned her attention back to Erwin, picking him out to be their leader. Their hushed voices on their journey to the village were not as quiet as they might’ve liked, but Lux couldn’t quite decipher what their plan was.  
Levi narrowed his eyes at the blonde, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”  
Irina’s feeling that she could trust this girl persevered, “Come on Levi give her a chance, we are going to this one's basement, of all places!” ruffling the young green-eyed boy’s hair that stood beside her, a scowl growing on his face. Ciaran, who stood behind the outspoken girl, shook her shoulders. His hands planted firmly on them as he scolded her quietly. She elbowed his stomach, then smiled to Lux, blissfully ignoring the stares of the entire squad.

There was a shift in the air, an uncomfortable one. The man identified as Levi sent her a stare even a bear would cower at, yet the brunette seemed oblivious. Lux's eye gleamed, this was her ticket out. She walked up to Erwin, imploring him, “I'm guessing you’re the commander, since you're so tall and poised...” Hange guffawed at her statement, Erwin did fit his role perfectly. “But please get me out of the nightmare. Let me join you on your mission, I know this land, and I know what's out there, the back of their necks takes them down quick.” Her eyes pleaded with him as she expressed her knowledge of titans. “Please.”

Erwin took a metaphorical step back, someone was begging before him was not unusual. But to go on a death wish? This was new. “What about your family, your life, your-”  
Lux giggled at his statement, cutting him off. “Living here isn't a life...as you can see.” She kept her head held high. Erwin glanced around the area once more, she was right. These people lived in delusional squalor. “Let's make a deal, blondie to blondie,” Her dulcet voice brought his attention back, “You let me join you, and if I'm proving to benefit you, then I stay. If I slip up or do anything you deem suspicious, then I give you permission to kill me... I beg you, please, I can't be part of this anymore. I want to live. Be Free.” Erwin considered her proposition before she spoke again.

“Let me join you.”

He agreed, a firm handshake and the deed was done.

* * *

Mounting their horses, they made their way out of the village. Passing by what looked to be most of the population crowded around a preacher, raving and ranting about the beasts that lived beyond the trees. The villagers cried out in fear as he described what they did to people like them. Strangely it sounded as if they feared, but worshipped them in a hysterical way. The squad watched in a subtle horror as they passed by. Erwin evidently deciding against helping them for now, focused entirely on the mission ahead.

As the squad waited for Lux to return, they talked.  
“That was reckless, Irina.” Her name catching her attention, Irina looked towards Mikasa who peered at her.  
“Yeah, I mean she’s hot, but we don’t know who she is.” Jean piped up, causing Irina to toss a branch in his direction.  
“Shut up horse-face.” Irina glared at him, then stretched, her arms rising above her head as she relaxed. “I know we don’t know who she is, but she seems honorable.”  
“Seems?” Connie debated.  
“Yes, seems! Gut feeling. You wouldn’t know anything about it baldy.”

Lux kept her head low with her hood up, wanting a look at her old life one last time. Tracing her eyes along the houses her eyes caught onto an older couple, both blonde and petite with eyes blood-red like the others. They held their gazes with Lux, no expression on their features. Lips thin and noses held high. Her parents. She was leaving them behind, a bittersweet twist. After all, they left her first. A child ran past them, and into the house they stood in front of. Lux didn't quiver, but realised the child had been wearing her old clothes. “Cowards.” She sadly laughed to herself, remembering how they didn’t fight for her, and now they had replaced her. No tears. She didn't want to give them anything. They were nothing to her, as good as dead.

Ciaran’s whistle brought her attention to the squad on top of the hill and she smiled, this was her new life. She approached them on the back of a village horse she kidnapped, as they laughed amongst themselves. A joke she just missed, but she could see the boy with very little hair looked rather grumpy. Once she joined them they set off to rejoin the rest of their elite branch. Having a few introductions from a few members she came to know as Armin, Sasha and Hange. Levi had confirmed to her that Irina was in charge of Lux for the time being, “Seeing as you like her so much, you can look after her.” Were the short man’s exact words, meant to scold Irina with the burden but she saw it as the opposite. As the squad split into their natural groups, she took this opportunity to formally introduce herself.

“Y’know I didn’t get the chance to tell you my name. I’m Irina!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated <3

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are Appreciate <3


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